Thursday, 4 September 2014

Flood alert sounded in Kashmir "What all news papers say about it"

After an increase in the water level of nallah Vaishav due to continuous rainfall the , the residents of Khudwani have started leaving their houses while as authorities have evacuated residents of a village in South Kashmir.

Kaimoh village is also witnessing increase in the local nallah after which authorities have closed the Islamabad-Shopian road by not allowing any vehicle to cross the Kaimoh Bridge.

Meanwhile, District Administrations on Islamabad and Kulgam have sounded flood alert and directed the concerned departments to remain alert and have a close vigil on the situation.

With Meteorological department predicting more rains, flood threat is looming large across Kashmir, as the water level in Jhelum has reached near the danger mark.The valley has been receiving incessant rainfall since Tuesday night and the water level in Jhelum River in Srinagar has reached up to 16.30 feet at 8.PM while at certain places it is near to the danger level.An official from Irrigation and Flood Control Deptt, told The Kashmir Monitor that a flood alert has been issued in Sangam area of Anantnag district adding the water level in Srinagar was normal.“In Sangam, the water level of Jhelum is 25.40 feet at 8.PM and a flood alert has been issued there. We will wait for some time if the rainfall stops then there is less chances of flood alert to be issued in Srinagar and other parts,” he said. People living across the Jhelum bank in Sanagam have been asked to shift to the safer places. "People living in temporary sheds along the banks of river Jhelum have been asked to shift to safer places," said an official from I&FC.The water level has increased to manifold in low-lying areas of the Kashmir Valley, especially Sonawari, Awantipora, Srinagar which are prone to flood.As per last reports the water level has increased in many villages of the south Kashmir. In nallah Vaishav the water level has increased near to the danger mark.Reports said that the residents of Khudwani have left their houses and the authorities have evacuated residents of a village in South Kashmir.Meanwhile, reports also add that the water level in local nallah at Kaimoh village has increased after which authorities have closed the Islamabad-Shopian road by not allowing any vehicle to cross the Kaimoh Bridge.Reports suggest that the waters from Vaishav basin entered Sarvan Napur village in Kahlan area of district Pulwama.Further the Fire and Emergency Department personnel rescued many nomad families at Kaprin in Shopian district after an increase in the water of Toungri nallah.The Met officials said that the freakish weather with spells of rain is expected to continue in Jammu and Kashmir till Friday. "A low pressure system exists over Jammu and Kashmir at the moment. The combined effect of western disturbances and monsoon is causing the present rainfall in the Valley, the Jammu division and the Ladakh region. The low pressure system is moving very slowly because of which the same weather conditions are likely to continue till Friday evening," said Director MeT, Sonam Lotus."Landslides and flash floods in mountainous areas of the state especially the Ladakh region cannot be ruled out.People in such areas are generally advised to take precautions. As of now, there is no flood warning from our side," he said. As per MeT department , the temperature recorded in Srinagar, which received 20 mm of rainfall, was 14 degree, two notches less than the normal.Meanwhile, the temperature recorded in the world famous ski resort of Gulmarg was 9 degree, a notch less than the normal. Gulmarg received 32.4 mm of rainfall during the past 24 hours, he said.The highest rainfall of 80.4 mm was recorded at Qazigund, where temperature was 14.1 degree.He said Kokernag, which received 57.7 mm of rain, recorded 12.6 degree temperature, which is around two notches less than the normal.The health resort of Pahalgam received 40.2 mm of rain, he said, adding the temperature recorded was 11.4 degree.The upper reaches, including the holy Amarnath cave shrine and its periphery, Sheshnag, Mahaguns and Pisso top recorded fresh snowfall since Tuesday.The rain, which is rear in this time of the year in the valley, has also paralysed normal life in Kashmir, particularly in Srinagar, where majority of the roads are waterlogged affecting pedestrian and vehicular movement.The enormous water-logging has occurred on the main and other connecting roads of Srinagar city. Almost all the interior roads are inundated while people found difficult to cross the roads in different areas.Places like Hari Singh high street, Jahangir Chowk, Lalchowk, Residency road, Rajbagh, Mehjoor Nagar, Safar Kadal and other areas of the down town have been flooded with water.“People have not ventured out here today as the roads are flooded with water. The faulty drainage system is adding to our woes and the authorities are failing to solve these basic issues over the years,” said a resident of Rajbagh.

Heavy rains lashed Jammu and Kashmir, including the summer capital Srinagar, for the second

Pic By Greater Kashmir

consecutive day Wednesday, triggering flood threat across the Valley. The Meteorological department predicted no improvement in weather till Saturday morning. MeT Director Sonam Lotus said moderate to heavy rains will continue to lash Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions till Saturday morning. “There is a precipitation due to interaction between the monsoon currents and Western Disturbances prevalent over all three regions of the State,” he told Greater Kashmir.Lotus said there has been a dip in temperatures across Jammu and Kashmir while higher reaches in Ladakh received moderate snowfall last night.

RISING WATER LEVELSThe water level in Chenab, Jhelum and other major rivers and streams in the State has risen overnight. The incessant rains, which threw life out of gear across Kashmir, also triggered a flood alert in South Kashmir areas. “We have issued flood alert for Anantnag, Pulwama and Kulgam districts,” Chief Engineer, Flood Control Department, Javid Jaffer told Greater Kashmir. He said the water level at Sangam is 21-feet and “once it cross the 23-feet mark, flood alert is declared.” “There has been a rise in water levels in Lidder, Toungri and Vaishav nallahs,” he said, adding the situation is being monitored closely. Jaffer said the situation in Srinagar is also being monitored while water level at Ram Munshi Bagh is at still 12-feet. “It is six notches below the danger mark,” he said, adding, “There has been no increase in water levels in north Kashmir rivers.”

VAISHAW NALLAH ‘BREACHED’At least six nomads were evacuated while 14 others are still feared trapped in Akhran village of Kulgam district after the Vaishaw basin waters entered the hamlet. “Many people living along the river banks and streams have been evacuated to safer places,” said an official.He said the water level of Vaishaw Nallah in Kulgam, Sandran in Qazigund, Lidder along Pahalgam as well as Jhelum has already gone up.“The rescue operation in Akhran village is being carried out by district administration, police, Fire and Emergency Service department and rafters from Pahalgam,” he said. He said six nomads including three children and three women have so far been rescued and efforts are on to rescue the stranded ones. “The increase in water level in the nallah is hindering the rescue operation. We had sought a chopper for the operation, but bad weather is playing a spoilsport,”Deputy Commissioner, Kulgam, Nisar Ahmad Wani, said. “The nomads had erected makeshift tents between two sides of Vaishaw Nallah and they were stranded due to flashfloods,” an official said.Reports said many people living around the banks of the Nallah and Sandran river in Qazigund were evacuated and shifted to safer places.“Police and district administration rescued hundreds of families from overflowing Vaishaw Nallah in dozens of villages in Kulgam including Ladoo, Ashmuji and Bhan. All the evacuated persons have been shifted and adjusted in schools and other government buildings,” an official said.In Kaimoh area of Kulgam, authorities closed the Anantnag-Shopian road and didn’t allow any vehicle to cross the Kaimoh Bridge after increase in the water level in adjacent river. “Khudwani, Redwani, Qaimoh and adjoining villages are submerged,” locals told Greater Kashmir.In Anantnag district, the water level of Jhelum river at Sangam was above danger mark while at Khanabal it touched the danger mark, officials said. The administration has asked people living on the banks of Jhelum to shift to safer places.“The water level of Jhelum at Sangum is already running above the danger level and it has reached 22-feet mark,” said Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, Bashir Ahmad Khan.He said with no respite in rainfall, flood threat is looming large.Reports of damages to residential houses and cowsheds were received from various areas of the district, including Dooru, Verinag, Kokernag and Shangus.In Tral area of Pulwama district, the water level in Nallah Aripal has also increased.In Shopian, the water level of Rambiara Nallah also increased considerably and reports said several villages were submerged. Consequently, they said, the Fire and Emergency department personnel have rescued many families at Kaprin in Shopian district “The waters from Rambiara entered Sarvan Napur village in Khelna area of Pulwama district and area is completely submerged and the villagers have been evacuated,” reports said.Incessant rains also caused water-logging in all major towns of South Kashmir including Anantnag, Bijbehara, Kulgam, Pulwama, Shopian, Kakpora, Rajpora, Awantipora, Pampore and others, causing problems for pedestrians and also hampering the movement of traffic.Meanwhile, five families consisting 23 souls—who were stranded in the Rambiara—were rescued by the District Administration with the support of locals of Kapran.

SRINAGAR AREAS INUNDATED: Many areas in Srinagar were inundated Wednesday due to heavy rains, disrupting normal life across the summer capital. These included Safa Kadal, Eidgah, Nowshehra, Soura, Ali Jan Road, Gulshan Nagar, Mehjoor Nagar, Gogji Bagh, Wazir Bagh, Jawahar Nagar, Rajbagh and Bemina.Several important roads, lanes and by-lanes in the commercial hub of Lal Chowk were also submerged due to water-logging, thus making the movement of pedestrians difficult. People alleged the district administration has failed to tackle the situation emerging due to continuous rains. Srinagar city witnessed traffic jams for throughout the day, giving tough time to people.

GANDERBAL The authorities in Ganderbal rescued a person who was swayed away by flashfloods in nallah Sindh. Manzoor Ahmad Ganie son of Asadullah Ganie of Check Watal Lar was taken away strong water currents at Sindbal while collecting wood from the nallah. However, police, civil administration and Army launched a rescue operation and the person was saved.

BARAMULLAAt least seven labourers were feared trapped in a stone crusher at Shrai area of Kunzar Tangmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district following torrential rains that led to collapse of a bund on Ferozpoora nallah. According to reports, the rescue team was finding it difficult to evacuate the labourers as the water level in the nallah is very level. “We have requested the district administration to avail the service of a helicopter so that the trapped workers are evacuated,” said an official, who is part of the rescue operation.Meanwhile, torrential rains inundated several parts of north Kashmir including Pattan and Tangmarg. Reports from Kunzar suggested several were inundated due to flashfloods. These include Bongam, Ogmana, Cashmatipora, Kasaie Mohalla and Tarhama.In Pattan, scores of localities are inundated. The Hanjiveera-Magam road has been closed for traffic following overflow of water in a nearby stream. According to reports, the water level in some of the streams like Ferozpora, Nallah Ningli and Puhroo nallah is at its maximum and if rains continue “it can pose a threat to the life and property in the area,” officials said.

HIGHWAY TRAFFIC DISRUPTED:Heavy rainfall resulted in closure of the Srinagar-Jammu highway for most part of the day, officials of Traffic department said here. Talking to Greater Kashmir, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Haseeb Mughal said landslides and shooting stones resulted in long traffic jams on the Srinagar-Jammu highway. He, however said, after hectic efforts, the road was cleared and the traffic was restored on the highway. He advised people to confirm the status of the highway on Thursday before proceeding towards Jammu or Srinagar.

PTI ADDSPolice Wednesday rescued 17 persons of four families from flood ravaged parts of south Kashmir."Four families, consisting of 17 members, were rescued from Birigam village in Qazzigund area of south Kashmir following floods there," a police official said.He said the families have been evacuated from their homes and lodged in a local panchayat ghar. Police and army have launched a rescue operation to rescue 19 nomads who are trapped in flood water at Banjarpora in Kulgam district, the official said.An official of the MeT department said Qazigund received the highest amount of rainfall at 160.2 mm rain since yesterday morning. Kokernag area recorded 113.5 mm rainfall during this period followed by Pahalgam at 70.4 mm and Srinagar at 52.8 mm, he said.

CM DIRECTS OFFICIALS TO REMAIN ALERTAn official spokesman said the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is personally monitoring the situation that has arisen due to incessant rain in the State. “ The Chief Minister has put the State Administration on high alert, directing them to be at the beck and call of the people wherever required,” he said.Chief Minister has directed the Divisional Commissioners to place senior officers on duty for monitoring the situation and initiate all necessary measures to safeguard the people. He directed them to keep control rooms operational round-the-clock so that there is close contact between the people and the concerned officers.“Omar Abdullah received brief from the administration about the situation in Kulgam, Shopian, Baramulla, Surankote and other areas where water has increased to dangerous levels. He also received brief about the rescue and relief operations put in place by the administration to meet the challenges. He said that rescue operations on war-footing should be carried out wherever need arises. Under the directions of the Chief Minister, the State Administration has asked the Air force authorities to keep aerial rescue plan in place for utilization,” the spokesman added.

CS REVIEWS FLOOD SITUATION In view of continuous rainfall and flood-like situation in many districts of the State, Chief Secretary Muhammad Iqbal Khandey held a video conference with Deputy Commissioners of various districts and received a brief regarding the situation.The Chief Secretary, an official said, impressed upon the officers to take all precautionary measures and remain vigilant to tackle any untoward incident. He asked the Deputy Commissioners to extend immediate relief measures the affected people. (With Sheikh Nazir, Showkat Dar, Altaf Baba)

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